Top foods for you in Africa’s best island, Zanzibar

Zanzibar is one of those places where you land and immediately fall in love with. It is a beautiful island, not so sophisticated as you would imagine but nature has really gained a footing here with very many tourist attractions.

Nevertheless, they say the mind never forgets good things, especially those that have to do with satisfaction and food is definitely one of them. In Zanzibar, one of the things you will develop is this nacking penchant to taste the different kinds of food prepared in very simple ways but they never disappoint as their taste is so satisfying. Let us look at some of the most popular dishes in Zanzibar.

Zanzibar Pizza

This is not the usual pizza you found in fast food joints in the cities. It is traditionally prepared with strips of beef or fish, diced onions, pepper, cheese, mayonnaise and eggs stuffed into a bag-like dough which is pan-fried until well-cooked. It is then served with tomato or chilli sauce.

It is most common at Forodhani Night Food Market in Stone Town.

Pilau

This is the real deal in Zanzibar. A generous amount of onions are fried until golden brown before meat, spice (garlic, ginger, cumin, cardamon, cloves and cinnamon) are added and later rice is added onto the same and is left to cook.

It is a signature dish for Swahili more so in Zanzibar as it infuses the best of spices here into one meal.

Urojo

The best description for Urojo would be a highly ‘confusing’ mixture of Zanzibar’s best flavour into the curried coconut broth which is topped by falafel, boiled eggs, sliced onions, Kachori, spiced bhajia, meat, bread, coconut, chilli chutney and hot pepper.

Dewa & Sons, a restaurant located on Royal Road have a reputation for making the best Urojo on Zanzibar Island.

Seafood

Zanzibar’s seafood is very fresh and delicious. Tuma, marlin, prawns, calamari, octopus, kingfish, lobster, snapper, tuna and barracuda are some of the most popular seafood dishes on the island of Zanzibar.

Octopus Curry (Pweza wa Nazi)

Out of the many iconic dishes in Zanzibar, the Octopus Curry is really the best of all and the most celebrated meal by visitors.

Pweza wa nazi meaning ‘octopus and coconut‘ in Swahili is octopus simmered in a blend of coconut cream and spices; turmeric, curry, cinnamon, garlic, lime and cardamom which is them served with rice and some topping of red chilli.

Chipsi Mayai

It translates to chips cooked together with eggs. Already cooked potatoes are tossed into an egg mixture and pan-fried to give an omelette-like dish which is then served with tomato sauce, kachumbari and chilli.

Tropical fruits

With Zanzibar island’s tropical climate, you are bound to bump into some of the sweet pineapples and oranges here. You will also eat the little-known durian which has a reputation of having a foul smell but a very sweet taste.

Avocados found on the island are big and tasty. Other fruits you will find here are pawpaw, papaya, mangoes and mandarins.

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